Valve actuating mechanism



Aug. 25 1931.

w. R. SPILLER VALVE ACTUQTING MECHANISM Filed July 50, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet l a, 5 4 H s x O m M M A WHil m 7 l A HI w \l| kkkkk 1 w iI hm 4 am I MM m. I 227 Aug. 25, 1931. w. R. SPILLER 1,820,891 I VALVEACTUATING MECHANISM Filed July 30. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FSIIYVEfVTOR.

BY; I Miami/534% Patented as. 25,1931

* UNITED STATES- PATENT? ossrcs mien a. alumna, or, cmvnmnn, onro,assrcnon so me warm comm, or cnnvnnann, 10, a coaronarron or one s meVALVE AOTUATING MECHANISM Application tiled July 80,

This invention relates to valve actuating mechanism, and is articularlyadapted for I use with valves suc as are used in internal combustionmotors. f d An object of the invention is to provide an improved valvemechanismwhich will automatically adust itself.

Another 0 ject is to provide a self-adjusting valve mechanism which willcompensate for expansion and contraction of its parts i and of theassociated parts of the motor.

' Another object is to provide a self-adjusting valvemechanism in whichthe; adjustment is entirely effected while the valve is seated.

7 Other objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention vwill be better understood from the description of onepractical em-' bodiment thereof'illustrated the accompanying drawings,in which;

go re 1 is a fragmenta transverse sec-- tiona view of a motor of t evalve-in-head type, having a valve operating mechanism embodying theinvention;

' Fi re 2 is a fra fentary transverse sec- 25 tiona view of the va vetappet and cam shaft .of Figure 1 but showing the arts to a larger scaleand in the position t ey occupy immeldiately preceding the opening ofthe va ve' Fighres 3 and are views taken on the line III-III of Figure2, showing the arts in positions that they occupy, respective y, whenthe valve is opened or unseated, and when the agjustfiient of themechanism is being efiecte an Figures 5 and 6 are transverse sectionalviews taken on the lines V-V and VI'-VI respectively of Figure 2.

The. motorillustrated has a crank case 1 withinwhich is journaleda crankshaft (not shown) arranged to be rotated by connecting rods 2 attache attheir upper ends to, pistons .3 which reciprocate in cylinders 4 formedwithin a cylinder block 5. The u per end of the cylinder block .isclosed by cy inder head 6 provided with valves 7 each having a stem 8 ywhich it' may be actuated. The valves are maintained closed by springs 9surrounding the stems.

A rocker arm 10 bears, thi'ough closure 11 1929. Serial R'o. 882,285.

upon the upper end of the valve stem, the rocker being pivoted at 13 tothe cylinder head. A push rod 14: is arranged to raise. the opposite endof the arm, and is actuated from cam shaft 15, journaled within thecrank case by means of a cam 16.

Between the cam 16 and the push rod 14 is located the tappet mechanism,best shown in Figures 2 to 7, which is so designed that it willautomatically adjust itself tocompen: sate for expansion or contractionof the valve mechanism or associated parts of the motor, therebyinsuring proper operation of the valve at all times.

This ta pet operates in a'guide 17 having a nera y c lmdrical outersurface provi ed with a ange 18 which seats 11 on the upper surface ofthe crank case, an is retained in position by a bolt threaded into thecrank case and extending through a notch 19 in the flange. 1

Interiorly, the'guide is formed with two cylindrical bearing faces 20and" 21 terminat ing at chordally extending faces 22, the cylindricalfaces being arranged to take the side thrust imposed upon the tappet bythe pres-' sure of the cam. The upper part of the tappet' consists of abar 23 having two cylindrical edges 24 fitting the c lindrical surfaces20 and 21, and interme iate flat surfaces 25 which en age the chordalsurfaces 22 and so prevent t e bar from turning. The upper end of thebaris formed with a recess 26 receiving the lower end of push rod 14. Anaxial bore 27 extends from the bottom of the rod to near its top, and isthreaded with a thread" of small pitch 28. Threaded into this bore isthe shank 29 of a bolt, the head 30 of which bears upon the cam 16. Thehead 30 is of large diameter and of almost flat convex conical shape onits under surface, being provided with an upwardly extendin marginalflange 31. Surrounding the sh and positioned upon the upper surface of 1the head 30- is a spiral sprin 32 having one end connected as at 33 witthe marginal flange of the head, and its other end connected as by meansof a dowel pin 34 to the'bar 23. This spring is arranged to rotate thescrew 29 v v in a manner to extend it from the bar, the cam I 16 has apoint substantially in alinement with the center ofthe screw, 'so thatwhen'this ,point travels across the under surface of the head there isno appreciable tendency to rotate the latter. The tendency to rotate thehead is further reduced by its conical shape,

as the cam travels along an element of the cone in alinement with theaxis of the tappet. The low'side of the cam is cut away at 35 on thepart of this side which contacts the tappet first, so that a projectingflange 36 is left, which is disposed to one side so that it will contactwith the head adjacent its edge at the side which will allow frictionbetween the cam and the head to rotate the screw in a manner to causethe screw to enter the bar and shorten the tappet.

The operation of the tappet is as follows: The head 30 rests upon thecam and is elevated thereby as the cam shaft rotates, there being norelative rotation between the screw and bar until after the point of thecam has passed beyond the head and the valve is seated. When this hashappened, the head bears only upon the flange 36 and the frictionbetween these surfaces rotates the screw,

shortening the tappet as long as there is any pressure between the headand the cam, or even further, if there is suflicient inertia in thehead, so that the head assumes the position somewhat like that shown indotted lines in Figured After the flange 36 has passed the head, thespring 32 rotates the 'screw in the opposite direction, extending thesame until thehead just bears upon the base circle portion 37 of thecam, at which time all slack has been taken out of the valve actuatingmechanism, and as the point of the cam comes in contact with the headthe tappet is raised and the valve is again opened. It will be notedthat not only is the-tappet self-adjusting but that all adjustment takesplace during the time that the valve is closed, and the tappet operatesas one integral part during the opening and closing of the valve.

While I have described the illustrated 'embodiment' of my invention insome particularity, obviously many others will readily occur to thoseskilled in the art, and I do not, therefore, limit myself to the precisedetails shown and described, but claim as my invensaid parts immediatelyafter the valve closes,

and becoming inoperative before the valve commencesto open, and a springfor rotating the parts relatively in the opposite direction.

2. In a valve actuating mechanism, a tappet comprising a reciprocatingmember held against rotation, a screw threaded therein and v having ahead'above the cam shaft of the motor, a cam on said shaft having apoint centrally alined with said screw, and a projecting flange on itsbase circle en aging said head near its outer edge whlle t e valve isand a spring between the reciprocating mem-' her and screw for rotatingthe parts relatively in a direction 0 posite that in which they arerotated by the ange.

4. A valve actuating mechanism comprising a tappet consisting of areciprocating part slidable in a guide and prevented thereby fromrotation, a screw threaded into the bottom of said reciprocating parthaving an enlarged head on its, lower end, a spring surrounding saidscrew and connected to said head and to the said reciprocating part, acam shaft beneath the head, a cam thereon having a'point in alinementwith said screw and having a flange on the base circle portion thereoffirst engaging the tappet and arranged to contact the head of the screwnear the edge thereof.

5. In a valve actuating mechanism, a tappet comprising twotelescopically arranged parts,

rotating means telescoping the parts to shorten the tappet immediatelyafter the valve has closed, and resilient means extending the partsthereafter and before the valve starts to open. 7

.6. In an internal combustion motor, valve actuating mechanismcomprising a two-part tappet, the parts of which are relativelyrotatable, means rotating one of said parts relative the other toshorten the tappet operative while'the valve is closed, and meansthereafter rotating said first mentioned part in theopposite directionalso operative while the valve is closed.

1 7. In a valve actuating mechanism, a two part tappet, the parts ofwhich are rotatable Illi relative. each other, meansfor rotating one ofsaid parts relative the other while the valve is closed and renderedinoperative for a portion of the' time ,while the valve is closed,andspring. means for returning said first mentioned part relative thesecond while the first mentioned means is inoperative. y

8. Valve actuating mechanism comprising a two-part tappet, the parts ofwhich are threaded together, means'a'ctuated by a cam rotating one ofsaid parts immediately after i the valve clos'es, and becominginoperative before thevalve commences to open. 9. In a valve actuatingmechanism, a tapeaaeer pet comprising two telescopically arranged parts,one of which bears upon a valve actuating cam, means carried by said camfor rotating said part to shorten the tappet immediately after the valveis closed, and means extending the parts thereafter, and before thevalve starts to open.

10. In a valve actuating mechanism, a tappet comprising twotelescopically arranged parts, one of which bears upon a valve actuating cam, means carriedby said cam for rotating said part to shorten thetappet immediately after the valve is closed, and spring means extendingthe parts thereafter and before the valve starts to open.

11. In an internal combustion motor having a cam shaft, a cylinder, anda valve controlling communication with said. cylinder, valve actuatingmechanism including two parts which are relatively rotatable, means Ifor rotating one of said parts relative the other while the valve isclosed, and means thereafter rotating said first mentioned part in theopposite direction also operative while the valve is closed.

'12. In an internal combustion motor having a cam shaft, a cylinder, anda valve controlling communication with said cylinder, valve actuatingmechanism between said valve and shaft comprising two parts which aresimultaneously relatively rotatable and translatable, means for rotatingone of said parts relative the other while the valve is closed andrendered inoperative before the valve commences to open, and springmeans for returning said first mentioned part rela tive the secondbefore the valve'commences to open.

i 13. In an internal combustion motor. comprising a cam shaft, acylinder, and a valve signature.

WILLIAM R. SPILLER.

controlling communication with said cylinder, valve actuating mechanismbetween said shaft and valve comprising two relative= ly rotatabletelescopically arranged parts, means carried by a cam for rotating oneof said parts relative the other to cause them to telescope immediatelyafter the valve is closed, and means extending the parts thereafter andbefore the valve commences to open. 14. In an internal combustion motorcomprising a. cam shaft, a cylinder, and valve controlling communicationwith the cylinder,

, valve actuating mechanism comprising two threaded parts, meansactuated .by the cam shaft for rotating one of said parts relative theother immediately after the valve closes,

and becoming inoperative before the valve commences to open.

15. In an internal combustion motor comprising a cam shaft, a cylinder,and valve controlling communication with the cylinder, valve actuatingmechanism comprising two threaded parts, means actuated by the cam shaftfor rotating one of said parts relative the other immediately after thevalve closes

